1934 Map of Chimney Rock

About this map

The Shiprock Indian Agency serves as a focal point for this 1930s landscape where the high desert meets the San Juan River. The intersection of the Navajo Indian Reservation and the Southern Ute Indian Reservation is defined by striking geological formations, most notably the Chimney Rock and Monument Rocks that dominate the upper plateaus. This era shows an established river-based economy, evidenced by the Irrigation Ditch systems supporting local agriculture and the Agency Coal Mine providing fuel for the agency. Transportation history is etched into the terrain by the Old Mormon Trail, which crosses the northern canyons near Salt Wash. To the east, the dramatic Hogback ridge separates the river valley from the dry arroyos, while the Chaco River feeds into the main waterway from the south.